Wheel-harrow



(No Model.)

M. CHANDLER.

WHEEL HARROW'.

No. 358,838. Patented Mar. 8, 1887,

UNITE STATES PATENT FFiCE.

MOSES CHANDLER, OF EAST CORINTH, MAINE.

WHEEL-HARROW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.358,838, dated March 8,1887.

h Application filed April 19, 1886. Serial No.109,420. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Mosns CHANDLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Corinth, in the county of- Penobscot and State ofMaine, have invented certain new and useful ImprovernentsinWheel-Harrows, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in wheel-barrows; and it consistsof the peculiar combination of devices and novel construction andarrangement of the various parts for service, substantially ashereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The primary object of my invention is to provide animproved wheel-barrowwith means whereby the blades or disks can be readily and easilyadjusted to any desired angle or pitch to the line of draft.

A further object is to provide means which can be readily detached topermit the device to be used as a straddlerow cultivator, and to provideadjustable devices which can be moved so that the relative distancesbetween the same can be varied, in order to accommodate rows ofdifferent widths.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide a wheel-barrow withimproved means for rendering the carrier-beams thereof resilient oryielding, to accommodate itself to any unevenness in the soil or ground,which means can be very readily replaced by a fixed block, to render thecarrier-beam rigid or fixed.

A further object ofmyinvention is to provide improved means forsupporting the disks or retary blades of my improved harrow, which shallrun very smoothly and freely without requiring the same to belubricated, and to provide means for locking the nuts on the shaft orbolt of the bearings for the rotary blades or disks, so that they willnot be liable to displacement by the resistance and pressure exerted bythe soil onthe disks as they are drawn through the soil, all as morefully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a wheel-barrow embodyingmy inven tion, Figure l is atop plan view showing the apparatus inposition for use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of one section ofthe harrow. Fig. 3 is a detached plan view of the carrier-beam of onesection of the harrow. Fig. 4 is adetail view in elevation of a portionof the bearings of one pair of the rotary blades or disks. Fig. 5 is anend view of the device for locking the nut on the spindle of one pair ofthe rotary disks.

the bearings therefor, in order to clearly show the construction of thelatter.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the draft beam ortongue of my improved wheel-harrow, to the rear end of which is rigidlyaffixed a. horizontal transverse beam, B, which is arranged at rightangles to the tongue, the said beam being provided with verticallongitudinal slots 6, for a purpose presently explained. An incli nedseat-standard, O, is rigidly affixed to the rear end of the tongue, andat its upper end an ordinary seat, 0, is affixed or secured thereto inany preferable manner, so that the driver can ride upon the implement,if desired.

Handles D are rigidly affixed at their lower ends to the rear end of thetongue or beam, and the upper ends of the handles are connected by atransverse tie bar or rod which braces the handles, so that they arerendered rigid and firm, these handles being grasped by the attendantinorder to guide the implement when it is used as a cultivator of thestraddlerow class, to which purpose my invention is also adapted, aswell as for use as an ordinary harrow to pulverize the ground.

E designates a holding-plate, which is rigidly affixed to the upper sideof the tongue or beam by bolts or other suitable fastenings, and theside edges of the plate are provided with a series of transverseapertures, e, to which are connected the inner ends ofindependentlyadjustable check-rods F, which are connected at their rearends to the adjustable beams of the side sections, G, of the harrow. Thesaid beams of the side sections are pivotally connected throughintermediate devices with the fixed transverse beam B of the harrow, sothat the positions of the said beams can be varied to change therelative position of the rotary disks of the line of draft of theimplement; and the said beams are held in their adj nsted positions bythe check-rods F, the inner ends of which are adj ustably connected tothe fixed holding-plate E on the tongue of the implement.

H designates vertically-disposed standards,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sec- 'tional view through one pair of the disks andone of which is arranged on each side of the central tongue or beam ofthe harrow; and the upper ends of these standards are adjustably securedin the longitudinal slots in the fixed transverse beam B by a bolt, asshown, or any other suitable means. The lower end of each of thesestandards is provided with an integral bearing, I, of peculiar form, inwhich are journaled the disks or rotary blades of the harrow, one pairof these disks being carried by each of the standards, and they areadjustable with the standards laterally of the beam or tongue. Theharrow-sections G each comprise a horizontal carrier-beam, J, and two ormore vertically-disposed standards, K, which depend from thecarrier-beams, to which they are rigidly affixed, each of the saidstandards being provided with a pair of the rotary disks or blades.

The inner end of the carrier-beams of each section is bifurcated, as atj, and the vertical standard H at one side of the central tongue or beamis fitted in the bifurcated portion of the said beam, a spring-key, j,being passed through aligned openings in the inner end of the saidbeamand the standard, so that they are pivotally and detachablyconnected together. It will be seen that the beam of the harrow-sectioncan be moved backward or forward on its pivot, so as to vary theinclination of the disks to the line of draft, and, further, that it isheld against retrograde movement when the implement is drawn along bythe check or stay rods.

By removing the spring-keys and detaching the check-rods, theharrow-sections, including their standards and disks, can be veryreadily disconnected from the implement to adapt the latter for serviceas a straddle-row cultivator, the standards H and their disks being thenconnected to the fixed transverse beam B only. The beams of theharrow-sections are also capable of a vertical swinging movement on thespring-key, which thereby serve as pivots, in order to permit the beamsand disks to accommodate themselves to any unevenness in the ground, andthe disks or blades of the sections are normally pressed downward bymeans of a spring, L, which is interposed between the fixed transversebeam of the harrow and the horizontal carrier-beam J of the sections Gthereof. This spring is preferably a fiat spring, although a coiled orhelical spring can be substituted therefor, the ends of the said springbeing connected inany suitable manner to the fixed transverse beam andthe vertical swinging beam of the sections; and the spring yields to anyupward pressure exerted thereon by the horizontal beam J, so that theblades or disks can readily accommodate themselves tothe unevencharacter of the ground, and still be held in contact therewith by thegravity of the harrow-section and the pressure of the spring thereon. Inlieu, however, of the spring to permit the vertical yielding movement ofthe harrow-section, a fixed block or other rigid device can beplacedbetween the beam of the harrow-section and the transverse fixed beam B,so that the harrow-section is effectually prevented from verticalmovement, except when the frame of the implement rises and falls in itsprogress over the field, as will be very readily understood.

Each of the standards H and K of the harrow of my invention is providedat its lower end with a hearing, I, which is formed or cast integraltherewith. This bearing is arranged in a horizontalposition'transversely of the standard, and the ends of the said bearingare extendedbeyond the sidesof the standard for a short distance, asshown. The bearing is made in the form of two cones, with their apicesplaced together, and through the said double cone-shaped bearing isformed a longitudinal passage or opening, which is of varying diameterthroughout the entire length of one of the cone-shaped ends.

Each end of the bearing is provided with a sleeve, 1, which is in theform of a cone, and fits snugly therein to rotate freely with thespindle or shaft of the pair of the disks or blades that are carried bythe standard. The cone-shaped sleeves which fit in the opposite ends ofthe bearing are arranged out of contact with each other at their innerends within the bearing, and the outer extremities of the said sleevesare provided with integral flanges or rims i, which project outwardlyfrom the sleeves, the diameter of the rims or flanges being greater thanthe greatest diameter of the cone-shaped sleeves. These flanges orrimst' are arranged in an inclined position, or at an angle to thesleeves, and they are projected beyond the outer terminal ends of thesleeves, so that they will bear snugly against the disks of the harrowand over the same at their center, so that the joint between the disksand sleeves will be effectually covered to prevent the soil fromentering the joint to fall on the axle, which is liable to cause unduefriction on the latter and wear it away. I

M designates an axle or spindle, which passes centrally through thecone-shaped sleeves of the bearing, and which serves to securely c0nnectthe sleeves together and the disks to the sleeves. These disks N of theharrow are made concavo-convex in form, and at their centers they areeach provided with a square opening, a, through which passes the squareshaft or spindle M. This shaft is made square or rectangular incross-section, except at one end, where it is rounded and provided withexterior screw-threads to adapt a nut, m, to be screwed thereon. Theopposite end of the square spindle or shaft is provided with an enlargedhead, m, that bears against the concave face of one of the disks N, andthis shaft passes through and is connected with the coneshaped sleeves,so that it rotates with the said sleeves and the disks, as will be veryreadily understood.

The flanges or rims at the ends of the sleeves bear against the innerfaces of the disks, and the square shaft passes through the square ICOopenings in the disks and through the sleeves, the head of the shaftbearing against the concave face of one of the disks, while the otherend of the shaft has the nut m, bearing against the other disk of thepair against which the rim or flange of the other sleeve bears, thusconnecting all of the parts securely together. The sleeves are fitted inthe bearing, and they rotate freely therein with the spindle or shaftand the disks on the shaft. The bearing and the rotary sleeves operatingtherein are made of chilled iron, so that they will polish themselves bythe small amount of friction and wear on their opposing surfaces, andwillnot require lubricating in order to secure the free rotationthereof.

A Washer, O, is interposed between the nut and the flange or rim on thesleeve in proximity thereto, and this washer has a fixed stop or lug, 0,thereon, and one end of a lockingspring, P, connected thereto. Thislockingspring is arranged on the outer side of the washer, and comprisesa vertical and horizontal arm, 1) 1), respectively. The horizontal arm19 is suitably connected to the Washer, and both arms are arranged inclose proximity to the nut, to bear thereon and prevent its rotation onthe threaded end of the spindle, the

free end of the vertical arm being normally in contact with the lug orstop on the washer. The nut can be readily rotated by a suitableimplement in the hands of the attendant after the free end of thevertical arm of the spring has been raised out of engagement with thestop or lug 0, so that the spring readily yields to permit theangle orcorners of the nut to pass the same, and the spring normally bearsagainst two sides of the nut to pre entit from becoming loose on thespindle under the pressure of the rotary disk on the nut as it travelsover the ground.

This being the construction of my improved wheel-harrow, the operationthereof is as follows: The side sections of the harrow are properlyadjusted to the desired angle, so that the rotary disks on the sectionslie at the proper angle to the line of draft of the implement, the checkor stay rods being also suitably adjusted to prevent retrograde movementof the sections as the implement is drawn across the field. The drivercan walk alongside of the implement or seat himself on the seat thereof,and the side sections, together with the disks, accommodate themselvesto the uneven surface of the ground, the springs being compressed andexpanded according to the movement of the beams. The standards andbearings are fixed in place, and the disks, the sleeves, and the spindlerotate together.

In order to adapt the implement for service as a straddle-rowcultivator, the spring-keys and check-rods are removed and thecarrierbeams thereby detached from the implement, thus leaving twostandards attached to the fixed transverse beam and arranged on oppositesides of the central tongue or beam. The standards II are properlyadjusted to the desired distance on opposite sides of the central beam,so as to straddle the rows of plants,and the handles are grasped by theoperator so-as to properly guide the implement.

I desire to state that while I deem the devices herein shown anddescribed as best adapted for carrying my invention into practice, stillI reserve the right to make such changes in the form and proportion ofparts as fairly fall within the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 7 1. In a wheel-harrow, thecombination ofa central beam or tongue, the transverse beam affixedthereto, the depending standards connected to the transverse beam andcarrying the rotary disks, and the harrow-sections connected with thedepending standard. and the fixed transverse beam and having the rotarydisks, substantially asdeseribed, for the purpose sct forth.

2. In a wheel-harrow, the combination of a central beam or tongue, atransverse beam rigidly affixed thereto, the depending standardsconnected to the transverse beam on opposite sides of the central beamand carrying the rotary disks, the harrow-sections having the beamsthereof pivotally connected at their inner ends to the standards, andthe adjustable stay-rods connected to the beams of the harrow-sectionsand the tongue, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a wheel-harrow, the combination of a central tongue or bean1,thetransverse beam affixed thereto,the depending standards carrying therotary disks, the harrowsections having the beams thereof pivotallyconnected at theirinner ends to the depending standards and capable ofvertical movement on the pivots, the springs intermediate of the fixedtransverse beams and the harrow-sections, and the stayrods connected tothe beams of the harrowsections, substantially as described, for thepurpose set forth.

4. In a wheel-harrow, thecombination of the central beam or tongue, thetransverse beam rigidly affixed thereto, the depending standardsconnected to the fixed transverse beam, arranged on opposite sides ofthe tongue and carrying the rotary disks,the horizontal beams of theharrow-sections pivotally connected at theirinner ends to the dependingstandards at an intermediate point of the length of the latter andthereby arranged beneath the fixed transverse beam, the stay-rodsconnected to the beams of the harrow-sections, and the standards havingthe disks connected to the said harrow sections, substantially asdescribed, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a wheelharrow, the combination of a central tongue or beam, thefixed transverse beam, the standards connected to the said transversebeam and carrying the rotary disks at their lower ends, the horizontalbeams de tachably connected to the depending standcheck-rods detachablyconnected to the central tongue or beam, whereby the harrow-secfitted onthe spindle to rotate the latter, the tions and the check-rods thereofcan be reflanges of the sleeves bearing against the said moved to adaptthe implement for service as disks, a nut fitted on one end of thespindle, a cultivator, substantially as described. a washer, and aspring connected to the washer 6. The combination of the standard havingfor locking the nut against rotation, substanthe integraldouble-cone-shaped bearing, the tially as described, for the purpose setforth. conical sleeves fitted 1n opposite ends of the I MOSES CHANDLER.

bearing and having the aligned central openings and the enlarged flangesat their outer ends, the square spindle passing through the said sleevesand rotating therewith, the disks \Vitnesses:

IRA W. DAVIS, WILLIAM F. J onnsom

